U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Study of the U. S.

U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Study of the United States - Summer Institutes for Student Leaders

Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.), the University of Delaware, and Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana), were selected by the Department of State to host this year’s Study of the United States – Summer Institutes for Student Leaders programs, sponsored by the U.S. - Middle East Partnership Initiative, administered by the U.S. Department of State.

The “Student Leaders” program is an expansion of last year’s successful “Young Ambassadors” institute, hosted by Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. This year, in addition to institutes for undergraduate students (Georgetown University and the University of Delaware), MEPI is sponsoring a similar program for recently graduated high school seniors (Purdue University). The five-week multi-disciplinary programs are scheduled as follows:

University of Delaware:   July 1 – August 7
Georgetown University:   July 6 – August 13
         Purdue University:   July 17 – August 22

The institutes will teach more than sixty students representing: Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Qatar, West Bank, Bahrain, Oman, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Algeria, and Tunisia. Program participants will learn about American political and social life with an emphasis on developing and enhancing leadership skills. Each “Student Leaders” institute will incorporate the resources of the host institutions, local professionals and organizations. In addition to a rigorous academic component, the student leaders will engage in community service, social activities, and program-related travel. Upon their return home, the student leaders are expected to engage in outreach activities, incorporating what they learned at the MEPI-sponsored institutes.

MEPI is a Presidential initiative founded to support economic, political, and educational reform efforts in the Middle East and champion opportunity for all people of the region, especially women and youth. The initiative strives to link, U.S., and global private sector businesses, non-governmental organizations, civil society elements, and governments in the Middle East together to develop innovative policies and programs that support reform in the region. More information about MEPI can be found at: www.MEPI.state.gov

For more information about each of the Study of the United States – Summer Institutes for Student Leaders programs, please contact:

University of Delaware – http://international.ipss.udel.edu/MEPI/2004/
and, Martin Mbugua, (302) 831-8749

Georgetown University – www.georgetown.edu
and, Natasha Rodirguez, (202) 687 – 4328, rodrigun@georgetown.edu

Purdue University – http://purdue.edu/icce/summer.html/
and, Amy Patterson-Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

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Released on July 2, 2004

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